WEBVTT HER RECOVERY AND EVENTUALLY BEGIN REHABILITATION. KATHY: THAT, OF COURSE, IS THE ICONIC SOUND OF A HARLEY-DAVIDSON. BUT, STARTING NEXT YEAR, SO IS THIS. HARLEY-DAVIDSON WILL START PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES AS PART OF MAJOR OVERHAUL TO BOOST SLUMPING SALES. 12 NEWS’ KENT WAINSCOTT IS LIVE AT THE COMPANY’S MILWAUKEE HEADQUARTERS KENT: SMALLER AND QUIETER. THAT IS PART OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S PLAN TO ATTRACT NEW RIDERS. SMALLER BIKES, SMALLER STORES, AND QUIETER ENGINES. THE COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN HEADQUARTERED IN MILWAUKEE SINCE 1903 HOPING TO REVERSE A SALES SLUMP BY ROLLING OUT SOME BIG CHANGES. THERE’S A NEW ROUTE ON THE ROAD AHEAD FOR HARLEY-DAVIDSON INCLUDING A LINE OF SMALLER BIKES, ONLINE SALES, SMALL URBAN STOREFRONTS, AND EVEN SOME ELECTRIC ENGINES. 12 NEWS GOT A FIRST LOOK AT HARLEY’S LIVEWIRE ELECTRIC BIKE IN 2014, WHEN THE PROTOTYPE WAS ROLLED OUT. THE COMPANY SAYS IT WILL START PRODUCTION NEXT YEAR. >> HARLEY IS DOING WHAT IT HAS ALWAYS DONE, RESPONDING TO CUSTOMER WANTS AND NEEDS. KENT: THE MILWAUKEE MOTORCYCLE MAKER IS BATTLING SLUMPING SALES, AND FACING BACKLASH OVER ITS PLANS TO MOVE SOME PRODUCTION OVERSEAS TO COMBAT HIGH TARIFFS. >> WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO BASED ON THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES BEFORE US, AND WE ARE DOING THAT. KENT: THE COMPANY’S CEO DECLINED TO TALK TO 12 NEWS, BUT APPEARED ON A NATIONAL TALK SHOW. MATT LEVATICH SAYS THE LATEST MOVES ARE AN EFFORT TO REACH TO A NEW GENERATION OF RIDERS, WITHOUT HURTING THE HARLEY BRAND. >> I DON’T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT WE’RE RUNNING AWAY FROM OUR CORE CUSTOMER AND THE STRENGTH THAT THE COMPANY HAS TODAY. BUT -- HAS TODAY. KENT: BUT IT’S THE ELECTRIC ENGINE THAT MAY BE BOTH THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT, AND QUIETEST, PART OF THAT NEW PLAN. BUT CONVINCING LONG-TIME RIDERS MAY BE TOUGH. >> YOU LIKE THE SOUND OF A MOTORCYCLE. AND THERE’S NO SOUND, IT JUST WHIRLS. KENT: STILL, EVEN THOSE LOCKED INTO HARLEY TRADITION TRUST THAT THE COMPANY IS FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PATH. >> I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO TO DO BUSINESS. KENT: THE COMPANY STRESSED THAT THE NEW PLAN IS IN ADDITION TO ITS CURRENT OPERATION. THE CEO SAYS THERE ARE NO PLANS TO SCALE BACK ITS CURRENT -- SCALE BACK ANY PRODUCTION, AND THAT ALL MOTORCYCLES SOLD HERE IN THE U.S. WILL CONTINUE TO BE MADE IN THE U.S. REPORTING LIVE OUTSIDE HARLEY

Harley to roll out electric bike LiveWire in 2019

Company has no plans to pull back on manufacturing its big bikes

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Updated: 7:31 PM CDT Jul 30, 2018

MILWAUKEE —

Harley-Davidson, facing dwindling sales in its home market, said Monday that it will roll out some new products and stores to broaden its audience and invigorate sales.

The American motorcycle company, known for its car-alarm triggering engine rumble, will roll out an electric motorcycle called LiveWire next year, with no clutch and no gears. It's promising to expand that line over the next few years.

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It will also open smaller storefronts in urban areas to broaden its appeal.

With sales rising in Asia and India, Harley-Davidson says it's developing smaller bikes with 250 to 500 cubic centimeter engines, to make the more accessible.